Twilight Escape
by DamselOfWords
Summary: Inspired by movie Water for Elephants!A sixties circus romance filled with intrigue, betrayal and passion. Will, an arrogant boy meets the pretty trapeze acrobat Tessa. What will their story be-tragic or joyful?SONG-ALL I NEED-WITHIN TEMPTATION!One-Shot.


_Bury my loneliness within your strong powers of love __  
><em>_soar with me through galaxies like shooting stars above __  
><em>_Help me to forget my fears through darkness of night __  
><em>_Cradle and love me with your magical burning insight_

_SONG: BREATHE- Faith Hill or YOU MAKE IT REAL FOR ME- James Morrison(I prefer this…;) )_

_Both songs will do good. This romance is set in the sixties. Enjoy!_

_Twilight Escape_

Tessa stared at the horse; beautiful and strong, she thought. It was the dark ebony colour that had driven her to choose this particular horse. Black- represented to her power, elegance and mystery. She stroked its glossy back, slowly resting her head on its body.

"Storm" she whispered "I wonder when he is going to come. I have been waiting for so long…"

"Why are you speaking to a horse? Just so you know, he can't understand you."

The slow and arrogant voice caused her to jerk her head up and turn instantly. Anger flooded her fathomless grey eyes but slowly seeped away as her gaze swept over the boy standing before her. His tempest of raven hair was tousled as usual and his pale face looked weary. But his eyes, oh those eyes, they were the exact dark shade of the twilight sky outside. They looked amused at the moment and this returned the fury in Tessa's eyes.

"You have finally graced me with your presence, Mr. Herondale! Hope it hasn't caused you too much inconvenience." she snapped sarcastically.

"Well, I had to miss my evening snack of chocolates and wine but apart from that it was not too much hassle" he replied playfully.

Tessa glared at him furiously. "I have been waiting for the past three hours and you dare to show up so late knowing how much of a risk I am taking for you!"

He smirked. "Affairs are always risky, that's what makes them exciting."

Tessa shook her head weakly. "This won't work, Will. I have to get going now anyway. My 'dear' husband is probably waiting for me …"

She slowly walked past him but to her surprise he grabbed her wrist, pulled her back, and pushed her against the wooden wall that lay behind her. Storm, as if sensing something was wrong, neighed and snorted, and cantered nervously.

"Shut up!" Will ordered the horse sharply. And remarkably Storm hushed up and hung his head down as if ashamed to have caused Will any trouble.

Tessa glanced at Will and wriggled herself free. "Please Will! Do you not know how to treat a woman gently?" she asked innocently whilst rubbing her wrist.

Will frowned and then smirked. He moved away. "I'm terribly sorry. I lost control to my desires there. I guess I should get going then." He began to turn away and then stopped and said "Oh, I almost forgot to mention, the train tickets have arrived for New York. The cab is waiting outside, some distance away from this camp. But of course, after the display of my indecency you might not want to leave with me" he said in a feigned painful tone and walked toward the exit of the stable.

Tessa, who had always been quick on her feet, ran past him and blocked his way out.

"You better not be playing with me." she said, her heart pounding in her chest.

Will grinned. "Woman begins by resisting a man's advances and ends up blocking his retreat."

She ignored his comments and asked "When do we have to leave? What time? What about the circus performance tomorrow?"

Will took a deep breath as if about to go under water and folded his arms across his chest.

"You know" he started slowly "curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back."

"I believe ignorance killed the cat, curiosity was merely framed." Tessa said in an irritant tone. "Now hurry and answer me."

"We can leave now if you wish" Will answered more seriously. "I don't want you going back to that hellhole again. What do you say?"

Tessa opened her mouth to speak but then closed it shut again. Memories of her life during the years without Will flowered in her mind. Her father had wasted all his money in gambling and dealt with his defeat by drinking. Her mother, tired and sick of her father had left him a Dear John letter and run away forgetting about her ten year old daughter. Tessa since then had worked hard not only at her studies but the free acrobatics classes the school had allowed her to attend due to her extraordinary talent. It was during a certain school performance, a man named Mortmain had spotted her. He offered her a job in the circus he owned and Tessa had immediately agreed , more than eager to get away from the small town of oak Hill, Alabama. She had left when she was fifteen, promising her father that she would send him money so he could pay back his debts and keep out of prison. He had been highly drunk then, grunting his permission for her to leave. With high hopes of a wonderful life she had left her house but, those dreams had been snuffed when at the tender age of sixteen, Mortmain had proposed. She had graciously refused, telling him she loved him like a father and therefore it would have been wrong. However, the very next day she received a letter from her father begging for a huge sum of money which Mortmain said he would only give if Tessa agreed to the proposal. Shocked and cruelly disillusioned by the man she had thought of as a father, she agreed. A year passed by in which she lived as Tessa Mortmain; enduring every night the beatings from her husband who as days passed seemed to edge closer to the brink of madness. She couldn't run away, compelled by a part of her that felt that Mortmain had rescued her from poverty and presently kept her father out of prison by sending him money to pay back large debts. But this shadow of a life had come to an end when Will Herondale, the new stunt actor had been introduced. Everyone had been terribly impressed by his expertise in chapeaugraphy, fire breathing and eating, knife throwing and especially sword swallowing. He was only eighteen and from the first day won the admiration of most women apart from Tessa. She hadn't particularly liked him in the start. The way they had met still made her smile.

_Flashback_

"That new boy is so _beau-ti-ful_, no not merely good-looking or attractive or even handsome-these descriptions would be an understatement! He is going to be mine, I have decided, he will be mine." Jessamine, Tessa's closest friend had declared haughtily.

'Yes" Tessa had agreed in a matter of fact tone. "He will be useful, his looks and skill will make us as a circus more famous."

"That is there too…" Jess had agreed thoughtfully.

Tessa had walked away to her retreat then, the big arena with a trapeze where she practiced. The circular arena was a staggering example of Victorian architecture anybody will ever have seen. Visitors stood in awe of the remarkable design with its gilded plasterwork, intricate painted frescos and two tier balconies, immense scale and ornate decoration. They were due to perform in two hours so the back stage was busy and energetic with women putting on their makeup, animals being checked on and the list went on and on…but this main space was empty for now. She removed her cotton dress to reveal a lovely black, diamond back foiled velvet leotard. She started her stretching exercises.

"Now those suggestive moves would please any man" said a husky male voice.

Tessa, startled, stopped her hip adductor exercise and turned to see Will leaning against a pillar.

"Excuse me" she said, not quite comprehending what he had meant or why he was even there.

After a moment of silence, Tessa spoke again "I am warming up for the performance this evening."

"Performance in your bedroom or on the stage?" he had asked playfully. Hot blood spilled to Tessa's cheeks and she glared at him angrily.

"The performance on the stage, I'm a trapeze acrobat. And your stupid jokes are not the slightest bit funny so please leave me alone."

He shrugged. "Alright then, Just as well because I don't care to interact with humorless people."

Tessa stood up from her sitting position and glared at Will. "Is your definition of humorless-stupid?"

"No, why?"

"My husband does not like me speaking to strange men or any men for that matter. Especially sleazy boys like you. If he had heard you there you could have considered yourself fired and me dead."

"You must be a woman with loose morals for your husband to act like that" he said turning away.

"Yeah, exactly, that's right. He is the one who has slept with almost every woman who works here and I who live according to his every wish and do nothing but eat, sleep and work is a slut." Tessa had said this with such a bitter tone that Will had stopped and turned. Her hands were in fists by her side.

"You sure are a damsel in distress."

"Just go" she said, anger replaced by fatigue. She hadn't slept well yesterday night. Any night before a performance always made her nervous.

'I think I'll stay. You are pretty good …I have seen you perform before."

She just stared at him and to her surprise, a smile formed on her lips. "Thankyou" she said almost shyly, self-consciously tucking back strands of hair that fell loose from her pony tail. Her reaction baffled her and she realized with a start that this was the first time a male had complimented her. She never spoke to that many people; in fact Jess who she went out with on rare occasions was her only friend. Mortmain had every aspect of her life controlled and as tempting as it was for Tessa to fight back or run away she could not forget that her father back in America was living his life on the money her husband sent generously. She wasn't paid anymore either. Mortmain took her out once a week and bought her anything she wanted; the most expensive diamond jewelry, most fashionable clothes and shoes. This generosity was most likely to assuage his guilt for making her life hell, she thought angrily.

"No… go, I am pretty self-conscious so I can't practice with you watching."

"I agree you are pretty but self-conscious? You will be performing in front of thousands of English people in an hour or so…"

Tessa blushed at his compliment before saying "They are strangers so I don't care. I can concentrate easily."

"I'm hardly someone you know too well, am I?"

"Not too well but I can't count you a stranger either."

He smirked and amusement glittered in his eyes. "Then what am I to you?"

Unexpectedly, her heart started beating faster and she felt flushed. _How could he do this to her by merely standing there?_

"A friend, maybe" she said hurriedly eager for him to leave.

"Between men and women there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship" he quoted before smiling in a lopsided manner.

"I don't believe that" Tessa said almost breathlessly as his gaze travelled over her whole body; eyes, lips, bosom, waist, hips, thighs, legs and back up again. No man had looked at her like that, not even her husband who she never slept with, which was one of the main reasons he hit her. He wanted her to exchange intimacies with him according to her own will which would never happen even if he was the last man on earth. He still forced kisses and caresses on her though, which she fought off viciously.

"With me that's the case. We'll see what you become…" he had said and walked away leaving her feeling strangely enchanted as if she had met one of the heroes who had walked out of the books she often read.

_End of Flashback…_

It had been six months since then and they had grown closer, learning about each other's deepest secrets. He had learnt all about her but she knew there were things he wasn't telling her about his past, still she would be patient and find out in time. Once, when they were due a performance in Ireland, they had snuck outside the camp together and had the most wonderful day. It had begun to rain and complying with Tessa's wish they had danced in the rain, their bodies saturated in water, staring at each other the whole time and mindlessly, uncontrollably falling in love. Only six months, and this boy who stood before her was her life. If she was his- this was yet to be known.

"Tess, you struck dumb or what?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I want to leave now, right this moment." She rested her head against his hard chest and took a deep breath. He smelled of Cyprus wood and cinnamon, the scent so comforting like his presence. She looked up into his eyes, deep dark blue pools that sucked her in like some kind of overwhelming sea current. He brought his face closer to hers and their lips brushed against each other's. Suddenly she was hungry for him, so hungry that her heart ached. He placed his lips against her mouth and he kissed her gently, slowly taking her higher as the kiss became more passionate, more fervent and rough. They kissed with a deep bitter joy that only they knew and felt. His eyes were closed like hers, drinking her in completely, his hand tangled in her enormous amount of brown hair that cascaded down her back.

When they parted, he grinned at her flushed face and said "We can continue in the cab. Let's go."

Tessa smiled. She didn't have anything to take, nothing her so called husband had given her did she want. Only Will, no-one and nothing else she needed in her life anymore. Nothing was scary or too hard with him by her side. But sometimes he could be hard to figure but that was between them and she would learn slowly everything about him. They walked out to see that the twilight sky had ripened into pitch blackness. A few meters away lay tents where the circus crew camped. But here they were alone. Tessa covered her head with the hood of her cloak and walked away from the stable with Will holding her hand. With every further step she felt her heart become lighter, like an awful weight was being lifted off her shoulders. But this new found freedom vanished when at the gates stood the man she hated with a passion.

"Well, Well… look whut we huv here" he said gruffly. A cigarette dangled out of the corner of his mouth and one hand he kept on his belt.

"You!" Tessa shouted.

"Yes'mam, its me. Now don't ya shout when I've finally caught ya bein unfaithful to yer husband. Nothin escapes ma eyes…"

"Unfaithful?" Tessa spat out. "You forced me to marry you, made my life hell and slept with every other woman who works for you…which I have to say relieved me. I didn't want you doing those things to me! Now when I have finally found happiness… You have no bloody right to be calling me _unfaithful_."

"Now Tess" Will said with surprising calmness "Don't treat an older man with such disrespect"

"But-" Tessa began to protest but stopped when Will gave her a reassuring squeeze of hand.

"Ya bastard" Mortmain hissed, walking towards Will, "I give ya a job and ya go putting yer filthy hands oer_ ma_ wife. She's only a gal who has no sense of right and wrong and ya take advantage of her innocence!"

Will smiled viciously. "I'm going to pretend you're saying those things in that deplorable accent because your old age is failing your memory. She _is_ only a girl who you abused emotionally and physically which, for your information, will cause you serving time in prison."

Mortmain moved his hand away from his belt revealing a revolver that was stuffed inside a waistband holster. He walked even closer to Will. Tessa stiffened, and made a surprised noise when Will let go of her hand and pushed her behind him. Mortmain stood facing Will who was two heads taller and most likely much stronger than his opponent.

"We'll see about me servin time in prison but for now if ya want tae live ya git the fuck outta here-"

But he had barely finished the sentence before Will laughed dryly.

"Yeah, I'm trembling. Please don't hurt me" he mocked.

Mortmain's cheek reddened and he swallowed. His small dark eyes were a cold stream of anger and Tessa, despite her trust in Will's abilities hoped he didn't underestimate the older man's strength. Though Mortmain was in his thirties and a small man, he was really strong and muscular. Apparently, Tessa had heard, he had been in the military before starting a circus. She was still submerged in her thoughts when she heard something crack. To her surprise Will stood his ground examining his knuckles while Mortmain lay flat on the ground, cradling his jaw which without a doubt was broken.

"We're in a hurry mate, gotta train tae catch" Will said mocking Mortmain's accent before turning to face Tessa who quickly walked to join him by his side. Before they walked away Will said "You should kick him a few times, after all he's done to you…"

"There's no need. We're even. He rescued me once from poverty and I repaid him by doing what he wished. Can we go now?"

Will nodded. As they started walking away, a clicking sound was heard. Will stopped before he shook his head and grinned.

"You won't do that" he said easily, his back to Mortmain who now held a loaded revolver in hand.

"Leeve her and git out…olly then ah won't shoot" he wheezed, still cradling his jaw. His mouth was bloody, most likely from the broken teeth, Tessa guessed.

Will turned then, let go of Tessa's hand and walked toward the older man who was now standing up. There was something in the way Will walked, Tessa thought, that reminded her of a jaguar when it hunted for prey. It almost scared her,

"Go on, shoot if you can" Will mocked. "Let's see if you have the balls to do it. Go on, you dickhead"

"Will No!" Tessa shouted. "C'mon let's go." But Will didn't seem to hear her.

"Ya think ah won't" Mortmain snarled. Blood dripped down his chin making him look like some ugly monster.

Will didn't speak but punched him across the face sending him staggering back. Mortmain, for the first time that evening made an attempt to fight by kicking his opponent in the pit of his stomach which made Will grin devilishly "Looks like you can hit men too…I thought your prey was only young girls." Tessa winced then, knowing Will was referring to her. She wanted this to stop. She started walking towards the fight when Mortmain shouted "Stay thar Tessa! Time ah showed this boy what ah was sparing him." Before Will replied, the other man swung a roundhouse punch and though Will instantly bent backward his knuckles hit him across the mouth. Tessa felt as if _she_ had been punched. Will's lip split in the middle and he spat out the blood that bubbled in his mouth before he lashed out blindly across Mortmain's eye. Following this was a series of kicks, punches, shouts and grunts and every time Will got hit Tessa winced or cringed. Tears were in her eyes before she realized that the strength Mortmain had used on her was nothing compared to his true abilities. It was as if some monster had awakened inside him, making his eyes wild and crazy. But Will seemed to be winning, Tessa thought, because through her blurry vision, she saw Will crouching beside Mortmain, resting his knee on the fallen man's chest, his hand grabbing the hair on Mortmain's head .

"Why…d..do ya want her, arnt there other women?" he asked weakly.

"Because I fucking love her. One more stupid move and you'll regret it."

Tears chased each other down Tessa's cheek. Realization dawned on her that the reason for Will being so vicious was because this was his revenge for all the times Mortmain had abused her violently. As Will stood up, turned and wiped the blood across his mouth, she ran up to him and flung her arms around him. She was about to move away and cover his face with kisses when something she saw turned the blood cold in her veins. Mortmain was holding the gun in his hand and was pointing it towards Will's back. She pushed Will away, screamed before crossing over and standing in front of him, her arms raised on both sides shielding Will.

"NO!" Tessa screamed again but a deafening shot muffled her voice. Will stood there confused; Tessa's eyes were wide and terrified like a cat's. Everything remained silent for a moment, only the brisk winds were heard followed by Mortmain's bitter laughter.

"Ah missed, bloody missed!" Mortmain screamed. Then, as if defeated by life he stood up and limped his way back towards the tents.

Will and Tessa stood there watching his figure disappear in the darkness.

"I thought…" Tessa said amidst heaving sobs "thought you had been sh…shot!"

She turned to find Will's face paler than ever, his left eye was swollen and blackish blue, bruises here and there marked his face, however, despite that he still remained the most beautiful boy she had ever laid eyes on. He grinned after a moment and said hoarsely "I'm fine...you look like a weird baby when you cry, so stop"

She managed a laugh before she burst into tears again and hugged him tight "I love you Will, love you so much."

"I know…" he said lifting her and carrying her away towards their future together.

_I know the character of Will here may not have been the exact typical one we read in the book but this is an AU story and he doesn't have any tragic past. I tried to keep his character very similar to the book._


End file.
